Kevin Lamarque

U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcome Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife Yuko Kishida to the White House at the start of their state

US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida walk along the colonnade to the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 10, 2024.

U.S. President Joe Biden escorts Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to their trilateral summit at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 11, 2024.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks during a joint press conference with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley (not pictured), following an online meeting

FILE PHOTO: Parts of a ghost gun kit are on display at an event held by U.S. President Joe Biden to announce measures to fight ghost gun crime, at the

U.S. President Joe Biden gestures as U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Za'Nyia Kelly stand with him, at an event

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Joe Biden takes the stage to announce a new plan for federal student loan relief during a visit to Madison Area Technical College Truax Campus, in

FILE PHOTO: A U.S. Justice Department logo or seal showing Justice Department headquarters, known as "Main Justice," is seen behind the podium in the Department's headquarters briefing room before a

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on how the CHIPS and Science Act and his investing in America agenda are growing the economy and creating jobs in Central New York and communities across the country, during a visit to the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology in Syracuse, New York, U.S., April 25, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

Evidently timed to coincide with the heating up of the presidential race, a movie called “ Civil War ” made its debut in theaters across the country in March. It is premised on the fantastic notion of Texas and California teaming up to wage war against a usurping three-term president. But although Americans are far removed from anything like that, extreme divisiveness truly is part of our current national life as reflected in our politics.